The Latest: Sanders urges party to go beyond comfort zone

By Associated Press | April 18, 2017 at 6:47 pmUPDATED: April 18, 2017 at 6:55 pm

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Latest on former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders appearing at an event in Louisville (all times local):

9:45 p.m.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is urging Democrats to reach out to President Donald Trump’s supporters to promote a progressive agenda that includes guaranteed health care for all Americans.

Sanders spoke to a boisterous crowd Tuesday night in Louisville as he continued a nationwide tour to rally Democrats trying to overcome last year’s election losses.

The former presidential candidate said Democrats need to go beyond their “zone of comfort” to promote a progressive agenda to working class voters. He said the party’s strategy should include building a strong base in all 50 states and not just on both coasts.

Sanders outlined an agenda that includes raising the minimum wage, guaranteeing pay equity for women, making public colleges and universities tuition free and combating climate change.

The independent senator from Vermont will be joined by Democratic national chairman Tom Perez at the event Tuesday night. Their appearance is part of a national tour called “Come Together and Fight Back.”

They’re promoting an agenda that includes raising the minimum wage, providing pay equity for women, rebuilding roads and bridges, passing immigration reform and making public colleges tuition-free.

Their visit comes as Democrats are trying to rebound from a series of election losses in Kentucky. Republicans hold both U.S. Senate seats from Kentucky, all but one of the state’s congressional seats and the governorship. The GOP controls the state legislature, and Republican President Donald Trump easily carried Kentucky last year.